How to Remove Paint Protection Film

Congratulations for choosing to apply paint protection film and preserving the beauty of your car’s paint. As with all good things, the life of your film must come to an end. If it’s been more than four years or you’ve noticed some changes in the film’s condition. It might be time for paint protection film removal.

Find out how to remove paint protection film

If you’ve decided that you can take care of the removal, it makes sense to understand the steps involved in the paint protection film removal process to ensure you don’t damage your car’s paint.

This article offers the steps involved in removing film safely, so you can continue to protect the value of your car.

Prior to Paint Protection Removal

Determine the film’s condition – If the overall condition is good with just a few troubled spots, you may be able to polish the rough spots into a near-new condition. If you’d prefer to try to preserve the film, contact a trusted auto specialist. You may be able to help save the cost of full installation if a pro can buff out the rough spots.

If it’s clear that the film is outdated and you want to move ahead with the paint protection film removal process, there will be several tools and products to have on hand:

If there’s an area where the film is bubbling up, resist picking that section and immediately start removing film, instead:

Look for the area of the greatest separation between the film and the car

If you can’t find any, make sure you look at the edges of the film – in hood seams, in door seams, on the undercarriage of the car – to see if separation is beginning.

If it’s a warm day, let the car sit outside for an hour or so to warm up the surface of the car to make removing the film easier.

The Paint Protection Film Removal Process

After you’ve identified the areas to begin removing the film:

Take your plastic razor blades or plastic, flat tool to lift the film and see how much will come off easily. If you sense resistance from the film, or it comes off in little chunks, you’ll need the heat gun to break down the film and make it easier to remove.

If you apply heat to the car’s surface, make sure the gun is at least eight inches from the car. Hold it to a strip of film for two minutes to make it easier to remove the film.

Use the scraper or plastic razor to push under the heated film to help the paint protection film removal process. If the top layer comes off, the rest should come off easily when you use the 3M Adhesive Remover.

When you use the 3M Adhesive Remover, follow the package instructions.

Work in small sections of your car and use the same process until the films are removed:

Heat the car surface for two minutes

Use the plastic implement to push under the film and remove it

Use the 3M Adhesive Remover to get the rest of the film

Get rid of the remainder of the adhesive with a microfiber towel and 3M Adhesive Remover.

When the adhesive is removed, get a different microfiber towel and rub the surface of the car.

Next Steps

Whew… as you can see, the paint protection film removal process isn’t for sissies – if something goes wrong, you risk damaging the surface of your vehicle. Don’t ruin your car’s paint – find an auto specialist to help with the rest of the film removal.